Page images
PDF
EPUB

Lesson 1.

The Creation and the Fall of Man.

Genesis i-iii. 24.

In the beginning God 'created 'the heaven and the earth, and all things in them. And the earth was 'without form, and void; and 'darkness was upon the face of the 'deep. The first day God created *light. On the second day God made the 'firmament. On the third day God 'divided the waters from the land, and created plants. On the fourth day God made the 'sun, 'moon, and 'stars. On the fifth day God created the fishes and the birds. On the sixth day God created the beasts, the cattle, and the creeping things; and lastly, he made man ‘in his own image. God having created all things in six days, pronounced them to be 'very good. He 'rested on the seventh day, and "blessed it.

And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in "Eden; and out of the ground he caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

And God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him"; so he formed a woman, and brought her unto the man. And the Lord God 'put the man and the woman whom he had formed into the garden of Eden, to 'dress it and keep it.

God permitted Adam to eat of all the fruits that grew in Eden, except the fruit of the tree of knowledge. The serpent deceived Eve, and tempted her to sin. She ate of the fruit which God had forbidden, and gave also to Adam, her husband, and he did eat; thus they both disobeyed God. God cursed the serpent, and promised a Saviour to 'redeem man from his power. He told the woman that her sorrow should be increased with the increase of children; and to the man he said, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; ... in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

When God had thus sentenced Adam and Eve to suffering and death, he expelled them from the garden of Eden.

GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE.

Eden-supposed to have been situated near the head of the Persian Gulf, where the rivers Euphrates and Tigris empty their waters; but several other situations have been assigned to the garden of Eden. The name, Eden, means pleasure or delight, thus indicating the great beauty and richness of Adam's first inheritance; hence it was not uncommon for pleasant and fruitful localities to be called Eden.

EXPLANATIONS.

beginning-or, commencement of the existing order of the phenomena of the universe. created the original word denotes either the production of matter or the moulding of it into form. the heaven-the celestial bodies. earth-the Hebrew eretz, is doubtless the origin of our word earth. It is derived from a word which denotes the running together of small pieces or broken

fragments. without form-destitute of shape, unconnected.

or

void-empty, confused, and desolate. darkness-the root of this word indicates keeping back, impeding action motion; darkness is unfavourable to vegetation. deep-a turbid mass, probably encom

passing the solid parts of the earth. light-that wonderful fluid, which, in contrast with darkness, is ever active throughout nature. The Hebrew word comes from a root which signifies to flow. the firmament-the expanse of air by which the earth is surrounded. divided, &c.-gathered them into ca

pacious channels or beds. sun-"the greater light," the great diffuser of itself, as the term sun denotes. moon-"the lesser light," the white illuminated orb. stars-literally, 'other sources of light'; luminaries or orbs of light. in his own image-that is, intelligent, holy, having dominion, and capable of the highest attainments.

very good-mature and perfect. rested-not from weariness, but because

the works of creation were completed. blessed, &c.—the word implies a continued source of happiness, which the sabbath is; "holy of the LORD, honourable." not good, &c.-because man was intended for a social being. a help meet a fit associate; one suited to him in form, intellect, and feeling.

put, &c.—as in a school of instruction and moral discipline. dress... keep it, &c.-not only to prune, &c. as a gardener, but to till as a husbandman, and thus clothe it with beauty and riches. Adam-means, he who bears the likeness of his Creator. The serpent, &c.-the great enemy of man assumed the form of this animal, and by his seduction of our first parents, he

brought sin and death into the world. Eve-signifies 'living,' the origin of the name implies the vigour or force of life. redeem-rescue, by paying a ransom.

QUESTIONS.

Who created the heaven and the earth? In what state was the earth at first? Explain the terms without form, and void.

What do you understand by the deep?
Narrate to me the creative acts of God on
the six successive days of creation.
What is light?

What does the firmament mean?
Whither were the waters removed?
When was man made?
What may we understand by the phrase
in his own image?
What does very good imply?
Why did God rest, and when?
How did God show his fatherly care for
the man whom he had created?

Give me some particulars of the supposed

situation of Eden? Where were the man and woman then placed, and for what purpose? Was the man left alone there? What prohibition was laid upon man? Who first violated this prohibition? Tell me what followed upon this. What ray of hope did God shed upon man's fallen condition? Relate the evils to which was man sentenced? What blessing was included in this sentence? The blessing of labour.

PRECEPTIVE LESSONS.

Here we are taught the first great principle of all religion, the existence of God, and that his attributes are Almighty Power, Wisdom, and Goodness. Though there were no human witnesses that God created the heaven and the earth, it is only the fool who has said in his heart," There is no God." We learn too, that God made man upright, endowed him with physical and mental superiority, and gave him the high distinction of an immortal existence. The divine institutions of the sabbath, and of marriage, and the limitation of one wife to one man; the probationary state of man on earth; his guilt, its consequences, his original destiny to labour; and the way of deliverance from eternal death, are all briefly alluded to in this lesson.

2. Cain, Abel, and Seth.

Genesis iv.; v. 3-5; vi. 1,2.

'Cain was the eldest son of Adam and Eve. His brother Abel was their second son. Abel was a 'keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. They both brought 'offerings to God. Cain's offering was of the fruits of the earth. Abel's offering was of the 'firstlings of his flock. God 'accepted Abel and his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering he had 'not respect. Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. The Lord reproved Cain, saying, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest 'well, shalt thou not be accepted?”

And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and 'slew him. "And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not, Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood 'crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a 'fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me; and the Lord said unto him, Therefore 'whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And Cain went out from the 'presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod. Here he built a city, and he had many descendants. Lamech, a descendant of Cain, took 'two wives. One of his sons, named Jabal, 'invented 'tents; another, Jubal, invented musical instruments; and another, Tubal-cain, was an artificer in brass and iron.

God gave Adam and Eve another son who was called 'Seth. He was a good man. His descendants were called the children of God. The descendants of Cain were called the 'children of men. Adam was onehundred-and-thirty years old at the birth of Seth. Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters. Mankind increased very fast because they ived so long. Adam lived nine-hundred-and-thirty years, and he died.

GEOGRAPHICAL NOTE.

Nod-land of wandering,' was a country "east of Eden." Les. 1. It was so named

because Cain, the wanderer, dwelt there, when he fled from the presence of his bereaved and sorrowing parents, after he had murdered his brother.

EXPLANATIONS.

[ocr errors]

Cain-signifies 'possessing,' as by gift. Abel-means' emptiness,' or vanity,' probably a prophetic allusion to his dying early, and without children.

keeper of, &c.-as animal flesh formed no part of human sustenance till after the deluge, it is reasonable to conclude that Abel kept sheep for their milk and wool, as well as for sacrifice. offerings-gifts reverentially presented by

the creature to the Creator.

fruits, &c.-probably those first matured; they were presented as thank-offerings. firstlings, &c.-the first-born; they were offered by faith as sin-offerings, or expiatory sacrifices. Abel acknowledged his true character as a sinner, but Cain contented himself with confessing his

obligations as a creature. accepted... his offering-probably it was consumed by fire from heaven. not respect-gave no visible sign of approval, as in Abel's case. his countenance fell-his brow lowered with discontent, envy, and hatred. well-right, walking humbly before God, and offering those sacrifices, which, as a sinner, it was his duty to present to Him. slew-the first death was caused by murderous envy.

crieth, &c.-as if for divine retribution. yield, &c.-God has power to grant or with

hold abundant harvests. fugitive" the wicked flee when no man pursueth"; so was it with Cain; con

scious guilt made him fearful. Whosoever, &c-the Lord in mercy prolonged his miserable existence, that he

might have space for repentance. presence, &c.-probably in allusion to some spot or place consecrated to His worship. two wives-thus polygamy was introduced by the seed of Cain. "From the beginning it was not so." Matthew xix. 8. invented, &c.-we thus see that several of the arts and sciences were practised in this early age of the world.

tents-those who pastured flocks were compelled to change their situations as food failed; and they took these portable habitations with them to new pastures. On the other hand, those engaged in agriculture were stationary and took refuge in natural caverns, or they piled

up earth and stones for habitations. Seth-placed,' or 'substituted.' children of God-they ascribed all their blessings to the hand of God. children of men-they attributed all their prosperity to human skill.

CONTEMPORARY CHARACTERS. LAMECH-the sixth in descent from Cain; his two wives, were Adah and Zillah; he had three gifted sons. JABAL-a son of Lamech and Adah; "father of such as dwell in tents,'

or those who follow the pastoral life. JUBAL-another son of Lamech and Adah; "the father of all such as handle the harp and organ." TUBAL-CAIN-a son of Lamech and Zillah, and "an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron.' NAAMAH-the sister of Tubal-cain. QUESTIONS.

Who were the two eldest sons of Adam

and Eve?

Why is it thought Abel kept sheep?
What was the nature of Cain's offering-
and what of Abel's?
What term more particularly expresses
the offering of Abel?
In what manner was Abel's offering ac-
Was Cain's offering accepted? [cepted?
How was Cain affected?

In what words did God reprove and en-
courage Cain?
How did Cain conduct himself?
Whither did Cain remove?
What doom did God pronounce upon
Cain?
Who first violated the original law of
marriage?

Tell me the names and inventions of
Who was Naamah? [Lamech's sons?
What were Seth's descendants called, and
for what reason?
How were the descendants of Cain dis-
Why were they thus called? [tinguished?

PRECEPTIVE LESSONS.

We learn here, that from the earliest times man had to depend upon his own industry for subsistence; hence we see the antiquity of pastoral and agricultural pursuits. It would appear that sacrifices of animals were ordained after the fall of man, to be offered as confessions of guilt, and as emblems of faith. In Cain's sad history we see that those who have rendered themselves unworthy of God's favour, become angry with those who possess it, and we see the progress of sin from anger to hatred, and from hatred to murder. We also see that polygamy had its origin in the descendants of wicked Cain. From the arts and sciences practised we see that secular knowledge was communicated to man, and we must conclude that he has not gradually advanced from the savage to the civilized condition.

3. Enoch. Methuselah. Noah. The Deluge.

Genesis v. 6-vii. 24.

'Enoch was the sixth 'in descent from Seth2; he 'walked with, or pleased God, and God took him to heaven when he was three-hundredand-sixty-five years old. Enoch had a son named 'Methuselah. He was the oldest man that we read of; he lived nine-hundred-and-sixtynine years. Methuselah had a son named 'Lamech, who was the father of Noah. When Lamech's son was born he called his name Noah, saying, "This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed." Noah became the father of three sons-- Shem, 'Ham, and 'Japheth.

The wickedness of men increased in the earth,1 but "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

66

Make thee an ark of 'gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of; "The length of the ark shall be threehundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my 'covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them."

Noah warned mankind of the flood for 120 years while he was building the ark. When he went into the ark the rain began to fall, and the fountains of the 'great deep were broken up. "In the selfsame day entered Noah and Shem, aud Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; they and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two, of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life." The waters increased on the earth forty days, and rose above the highest mountains. All flesh died, except Noah and his family, and the living creatures that were with them in the ark. The waters prevailed on the earth one-hundred-and-fifty days.

« PreviousContinue »